WWALS Watershed Coalition

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER® WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

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Datacenter: recommended approval --Irwin County Planning Commission 2026-02-26 [Up]

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[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

Pics

[Full house]
Full house

[Planning Commissioners: Arlinda Murrell, Chair Alan Smith, ? Walker, Vice Chair Tara Smith, Jessica Harris, Interim Chief Appraiser and Zoning Administrator]
Planning Commissioners: Arlinda Murrell, Chair Alan Smith, ? Walker, Vice Chair Tara Smith, Jessica Harris, Interim Chief Appraiser and Zoning Administrator

[Audience in jury box]
Audience in jury box

[Movie: Relax the agenda (38M)]
Movie: Relax the agenda (38M)

[Movie: Introductions and approval of minutes of previous meeting (162M)]
Movie: Introductions and approval of minutes of previous meeting (162M)

[Movie: Election of officers: same as before (103M)]
Movie: Election of officers: same as before (103M)

[Movie: Any conflict of interest? they said none, staff had no recommendation for case IC-SE-01-2026 (349M)]
Movie: Any conflict of interest? they said none, staff had no recommendation for case IC-SE-01-2026 (349M)

[Movie: Patrick Kines, attorney in Tifton, GA, representing Springhill Villas, 65 acres on Tifton Highway, due south of the proposed development, owned by Joe and Ronda Kunes, who live on the Tifton side of the Alapaha River, close to the bridge. They are all against the datacenter as a rush job with little transparency, such as closed loop, power grid, emissions, noise, lights, environmental study. (235M)]
Movie: Patrick Kines, attorney in Tifton, GA, representing Springhill Villas, 65 acres on Tifton Highway, due south of the proposed development, owned by Joe and Ronda Kunes, who live on the Tifton side of the Alapaha River, close to the bridge. They are all against the datacenter as a rush job with little transparency, such as closed loop, power grid, emissions, noise, lights, environmental study. (235M)

[Movie: Patrick Atwater, 400 acres of hunting land on Irwin County side of the Alapaha River, said buy property that's already zoned. (81M)]
Movie: Patrick Atwater, 400 acres of hunting land on Irwin County side of the Alapaha River, said buy property that's already zoned. (81M)

[Movie: Gary M. Granger, 424 Alapaha (River) Road, against, because of need for power distribution center, and would there be a firehouse and EMS on site, and would those be available to the community? Also local water wells, and more. (142M)]
Movie: Gary M. Granger, 424 Alapaha (River) Road, against, because of need for power distribution center, and would there be a firehouse and EMS on site, and would those be available to the community? Also local water wells, and more. (142M)

[Movie: Dr. Erik Bernstein, was at Tift Regional, drove from Savannah for the hearing, has property about a mile from the subject site. Concerned about rural area, hunting, dark sky, water, aquifer, and river. Proposed site is currently all conservation land. (287M)]
Movie: Dr. Erik Bernstein, was at Tift Regional, drove from Savannah for the hearing, has property about a mile from the subject site. Concerned about rural area, hunting, dark sky, water, aquifer, and river. Proposed site is currently all conservation land. (287M)

[Movie: Marvin Peavy, 1500 acre farm in Tift and Irwin Counties, big lake, mentioned opposition in Ware and Brantley Counties, worried about water, and about datacenters not lasting. (330M)]
Movie: Marvin Peavy, 1500 acre farm in Tift and Irwin Counties, big lake, mentioned opposition in Ware and Brantley Counties, worried about water, and about datacenters not lasting. (330M)

[Movie: Walter Hudson, for, played recording of datacenters in Lithium Springs. Chair of Hospital Board. Wants the taxes. (281M)]
Movie: Walter Hudson, for, played recording of datacenters in Lithium Springs. Chair of Hospital Board. Wants the taxes. (281M)

[Movie: Leanne Hooks, lives half a mile from the proposed site; has barn built in 1890. Not vacant land. Our farm, our wildlife and our home. Do you have real data showing how industrial water use will affect nearby wells? Etc. (259M)]
Movie: Leanne Hooks, lives half a mile from the proposed site; has barn built in 1890. Not vacant land. Our farm, our wildlife and our home. Do you have real data showing how industrial water use will affect nearby wells? Etc. (259M)

[Movie: Gerald Houseman, for, Attorney for the applicant, Russ Bryant and Premier Data Development. (67M)]
Movie: Gerald Houseman, for, Attorney for the applicant, Russ Bryant and Premier Data Development. (67M)

16 - 20

[Movie: Gerald Houseman, for, cont. 1: most water is closed loop. 2. good buffers and ordinance is being worked on. Said datacenters offer tremendous sources of tax revenue (did not quite say this one would). (261M)]
Movie: Gerald Houseman, for, cont. 1: most water is closed loop. 2. good buffers and ordinance is being worked on. Said datacenters offer tremendous sources of tax revenue (did not quite say this one would). (261M)

[Movie: Johnny Spurlin, attorney in Tifton, speaking for a number of people, said tax revenue generation is irrelevant to a zoning analysis. Should apply the facts, but we don't know the facts. Said zoning ordinance says it's to protect the many from the few. Wait until there is an ordinance and specific facts and circumstances, so it can be controled. (329M)]
Movie: Johnny Spurlin, attorney in Tifton, speaking for a number of people, said tax revenue generation is irrelevant to a zoning analysis. Should apply the facts, but we don't know the facts. Said zoning ordinance says it's to protect the many from the few. Wait until there is an ordinance and specific facts and circumstances, so it can be controled. (329M)

[Movie: Applause for Johnny Spurlin. Marvin Peavey said he has 10 more people who would give another 5 minutes to Johnny Spulin. (15M)]
Movie: Applause for Johnny Spurlin. Marvin Peavey said he has 10 more people who would give another 5 minutes to Johnny Spulin. (15M)

[Movie: John Brownlee, lives in Tift, has farm in Irwin, less than half a mile from the site. Said something of this magnitude should be more transparent: water, agriculture, environment, wildlife. Agriculture will be as much national security as military. (372M)]
Movie: John Brownlee, lives in Tift, has farm in Irwin, less than half a mile from the site. Said something of this magnitude should be more transparent: water, agriculture, environment, wildlife. Agriculture will be as much national security as military. (372M)

[Movie: King Wilbert(?), for, is convinced it is an opportunity the county cannot afford to pass. (206M)]
Movie: King Wilbert(?), for, is convinced it is an opportunity the county cannot afford to pass. (206M)

[Movie: Heather Brasell, lives on the Alapaha River in Berrien County, invested in the local community, said many specifics missing. Concern is conservation; was on state Wildlife Action Committee. (302M)]
Movie: Heather Brasell, lives on the Alapaha River in Berrien County, invested in the local community, said many specifics missing. Concern is conservation; was on state Wildlife Action Committee. (302M)

[Movie: Unknown name (21M)]
Movie: Unknown name (21M)

[Movie: Unknown name, for, says outside people enjoying things we don't have. (74M)]
Movie: Unknown name, for, says outside people enjoying things we don't have. (74M)

[Movie: ? Hall, Microsoft certified systems engineer, says Wiregrass training people is not so easy. Says the applicants haven't told us anything. Do it right, or leave it alone. (205M)]
Movie: ? Hall, Microsoft certified systems engineer, says Wiregrass training people is not so easy. Says the applicants haven't told us anything. Do it right, or leave it alone. (205M)

[Movie: I'll clear the room --Chair (4.6M)]
Movie: I'll clear the room --Chair (4.6M)

[Movie: Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, said same discussion in Lowndes County about needing money. The packet is one of the flimsiest he'd ever seen. The document that said poor farmland was from the applicants, and made many promises, but where is the evidence, specifications, or references? AI is a bubble. Datacenters are crude; they will be obsolete. SB 34 got watered down in committee, so can't depend on not paying extra for power. No grand jury would indite on this lack of evidence. (271M)]
Movie: Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, said same discussion in Lowndes County about needing money. The packet is one of the flimsiest he'd ever seen. The document that said poor farmland was from the applicants, and made many promises, but where is the evidence, specifications, or references? AI is a bubble. Datacenters are crude; they will be obsolete. SB 34 got watered down in committee, so can't depend on not paying extra for power. No grand jury would indite on this lack of evidence. (271M)

[Movie: Chat between Chair and Marvin Peavy, then Thomas Stripling. Land closest to it. Won't bother him. Center pivot for 24 hours uses 1.5 million gallons for 1 inch of water. (290M)]
Movie: Chat between Chair and Marvin Peavy, then Thomas Stripling. Land closest to it. Won't bother him. Center pivot for 24 hours uses 1.5 million gallons for 1 inch of water. (290M)

[Movie: ? lives on the Alapaha River a few miles away. Once we give up farming, we cannot get it back. Irrigation runs only occasionally. (152M)]
Movie: ? lives on the Alapaha River a few miles away. Once we give up farming, we cannot get it back. Irrigation runs only occasionally. (152M)

[Movie: Dillon Hendrix, for, says we are in an AI race and it is a matter of national security. (265M)]
Movie: Dillon Hendrix, for, says we are in an AI race and it is a matter of national security. (265M)

[Movie: Joshua ?, for, civil engineer, lives in Alpharetta, said there is a large datacenter happening in Lowndes County near I-75. Said you cannot hear or see the equipment, closed loop you only fill up once, etc. No written evidence. (230M)]
Movie: Joshua ?, for, civil engineer, lives in Alpharetta, said there is a large datacenter happening in Lowndes County near I-75. Said you cannot hear or see the equipment, closed loop you only fill up once, etc. No written evidence. (230M)

[Movie: Mike ?, for, part of the applicant, been in the business for 15 years, now can put datacenters in places they never dreamed, partly because does not need fiber network. Said this group has experience and wants to be transparent. No written evidence. (197M)]
Movie: Mike ?, for, part of the applicant, been in the business for 15 years, now can put datacenters in places they never dreamed, partly because does not need fiber network. Said this group has experience and wants to be transparent. No written evidence. (197M)

[Movie: Inaudible, for, said they were working on a datacenter ordinance with the county commission, with buffers, setbacks, etc. No written evidence. (106M)]
Movie: Inaudible, for, said they were working on a datacenter ordinance with the county commission, with buffers, setbacks, etc. No written evidence. (106M)

[Movie: Deliberation by Planning Commissioners, with unanimous vote to recommend approval (1420M)]
Movie: Deliberation by Planning Commissioners, with unanimous vote to recommend approval (1420M)